Pellet and Flake Aquarium Feeder

ABSTRACT

A pellet and flake aquarium fish feeder allows a fish keeper to conveniently feed aquarium fish. The pellet and flake feeder includes a body having separable upper and lower portions. The upper portion includes a cavity for storing the pellet and flake food and a plunger shaft including indented rings. When the pellet and flake feeder is filled with pellet and flake food and assembled, the plunger may be depressed forcing the pellet and flake food through a conical passage between the upper and the lower portions, grinding the pellet and flake food and releasing the ground food through an angled bottom of the lower portion and into aquarium water.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application claims the priority of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 62/111,086 filed Feb. 2, 2015, which application is incorporated in its entirety herein by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates aquarium feeders and in particular to a pellet and flake aquarium feeder.

In aquarium environments a preferred fish food type is dry fish food due to easy storage and longevity. Two primary dry fish foods are flakes and pellets of different sizes. The flake and pellets are typically dropped on the surface of the aquarium water and fish swim up to feed. Generally, a fish keeper will pinch the food several times and repeat the process. Filters that keep the aquarium water clean often suck up the flake and pellet food floating on the aquarium water surface and prevent the fish from consuming the food and create pollution in the aquarium water chemistry.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention addresses the above and other needs by providing a pellet and flake aquarium fish feeder which allows a fish keeper to conveniently feed aquarium fish. The pellet and flake feeder includes a body having separable upper and lower portions. The upper portion includes a cavity for storing the pellet and flake food and a plunger shaft including indented rings. When the pellet and flake feeder is filled with pellet and flake food and assembled, the plunger may be depressed forcing the pellet and flake food through a conical passage between the upper and the lower portions, grinding the pellet and flake food and releasing the ground food through an angled bottom of the lower portion and into aquarium water.

In accordance with one aspect of the invention, there is provided a pellet/flake food feeder which prevents fish food from getting sucked into the aquarium filter by utilizing an extended tube that is submersed into the aquarium water and releasing the food through the extender tube below the aquarium water surface. The dry pellet/flake food is transferred by a bottle brush from a container into a cavity a top portion of the feeder or poured into the cavity, avoiding contamination associated with fish keepers who repeatedly pinch a small amount of the dry pellet/flake food between their fingers, and then dipping their fingers in the water and release the dry pellet/flake food. A grinder integrated into the pellet/flake food feeder grinds and releases the pellet/flake food feeder stored in the cavity as a plunger is depressed. Only a small amount of pellet/flake food is ground and released per thumb pump allowing the fish keepers to control the amount of the pellet/flake food released into the aquarium water.

In accordance with yet another aspect of the invention, there is provided a pellet/flake food feeder including a base which holds the pellet/flake food feeder vertically erect when not in use to prevent any moisture/water from entering back into the food storage cavity. The bottom of the extender tube is cut at a 45 degree angle to expose air into the extender tube to evaporate any residual moisture which may cause mold. The grinding mechanism inside the product allows fish keepers to use one size pellet and/or flake food to feed a variety of fish sizes and thus reduces costs to buy multiple sizes of food.

In accordance with another aspect of the invention, there is provided a method for using a pellet/flake food feeder. The method includes opening a feeder body, depositing pellet and flake fish food into the feeder, closing the feeder body, inserting a releasing end of the feeder into an aquarium, positioning the releasing end below the aquarium water surface while retaining a grinding portion above the aquarium water surface, depressing a plunger at a plunger end of the feeder, advancing a notched plunger rod through the solid fish food and a narrowing orifice, grinding the solid fish food between the rod and the narrowing orifice, and releasing the ground fish food into the aquarium water to feed the fish.

In accordance with yet another aspect of the invention, there is provided a method for filling a pellet/flake food feeder without touching the pellet/flake food. The method includes inserting a bottle brush into a fish food container, collecting an amount of the solid fish food onto bristles of the bottle brush, opening the feeder body, depositing solid fish food into the feeder, and closing the feeder body.

In accordance with another aspect of the invention, there is provided a second method for filling a pellet/flake food feeder without touching the pellet/flake food. The method includes inserting an angled tip of the lower portion into a container, collecting a portion of the pellet/flake food in the tip, and depositing the portion of the pellet/flake food into a cavity of the upper portion.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING

The above and other aspects, features and advantages of the present invention will be more apparent from the following more particular description thereof, presented in conjunction with the following drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 shows an aquarium with a pellet and flake feeder according to the present invention.

FIG. 2A shows a side view of the pellet and flake feeder according to the present invention.

FIG. 2B shows a front view of the pellet and flake feeder according to the present invention.

FIG. 2C shows a top view of the pellet and flake feeder according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 shows an exploded view of the pellet and flake feeder according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 shows a bottom portion of the pellet and flake feeder according to the present invention.

FIG. 5 shows the bottom portion of the pellet and flake feeder used to scoop dry fish food from a container according to the present invention.

FIG. 6 shows a second side of the pellet and flake feeder according to the present invention.

FIG. 7 shows a cross-sectional view of a grinding portion of the pellet and flake feeder according to the present invention taken along line 15-15 of FIG. 6.

FIG. 8 shows a second design plunger shaft according to the present invention.

FIG. 9 shows a method for feeding using the pellet and flake feeder according to the present invention.

FIG. 10 shows a method for filling the pellet and flake feeder according to the present invention.

Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding components throughout the several views of the drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The following description is of the best mode presently contemplated for carrying out the invention. This description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, but is made merely for the purpose of describing one or more preferred embodiments of the invention. The scope of the invention should be determined with reference to the claims.

Where the terms “about” or “generally” are associated with an element of the invention, it is intended to describe a feature's appearance to the human eye or human perception, and not a precise measurement.

An aquarium 10 and a pellet and flake aquarium feeder 40 according to the present invention is shown in FIG. 1. A lower portion 44 (see FIG. 3) of the pellet and flake feeder 40 is inserted below the aquarium water surface 11 to release ground food 16 into the aquarium water 12. An upper portion 42 of the pellet and flake feeder 40 is kept above the aquarium water surface 11 to avoid dampening dry pellet and flake good 16 which might fowl the grinding operation of the pellet and flake feeder 40.

A side view of the pellet and flake feeder 40 is shown in FIG. 2A, a front view of the pellet and flake feeder 40 is shown in FIG. 2B, a top view of the pellet and flake feeder 40 is shown in FIG. 2C, and an exploded view of the pellet and flake feeder 40 is shown in FIG. 3. The pellet and flake feeder 40 includes the upper portion 42 and the lower portion 44. Pellet and flake food are stored in a cavity 41 in the upper portion 42 and is visible through a window 43. A plunger 48 extends out the top of the upper portion 42 biased up by a spring 50. The pellet and flake feeder 40 rests in a hole 56 in a base 46, the base 46 including at least one vent hole 45 to allow any water in the base 46 to drain and/or evaporate. A bottle brush 58 useable to add pellet and flake food to the pellet and flake feeder 40 and may be supported by a hole 57 in the base 46.

The bottom portion 44 is preferably threadably attached to the upper portion 42, for example, by threads 54.

The base has a diameter D1 of preferably 75 mm, the upper portion 42 has a diameter D2 of preferably 50 mm, and the plunger has a diameter D3 of preferably 27.3 mm. The pellet and flake feeder 40 and base 46 have a combined height H1 of preferably 256 mm, and the base 46 alone has a height H2 of preferably 31 mm.

The bottom portion 44 of the pellet and flake feeder 40 is shown in FIG. 4 and the bottom portion of the pellet and flake feeder 40 used to pellet and flake fish food 16 from a container 60 is shown in FIG. 5. The bottom portion 42 may be detached from the upper portion 42, exposing the food receptacle cavity 41 in the upper portion 42, and a diagonally cut tip 43 (see FIG. 6) of the lower portion 44 may be used to transfer the pellet and flake food 16 to the upper portion 42 for feeding, thus avoiding physical contact of the aquarium keeper's fingers with the pellet and flake food 16. Angled tip 23 of the lower portion 44 may be dipped into the container 60 and a portion of the pellet/flake food 16 collected in the tip 23, and deposited into the cavity 41 in the upper portion 42.

A second side of the pellet and flake feeder 40 is shown in FIG. 6 and a cross-sectional view showing a grinding portion 51 of the pellet and flake feeder 40 taken along line 15-15 of FIG. 6 is shown in FIG. 7. A plunger shaft 52 includes annular recesses 49 (i.e., a notched plunger). The plunger shaft 52 is pushed a conical passage 45 grinding the pellet and flake food 16 and releasing the ground pellet and flake food 16 into the aquarium water 12, below the aquarium water surface.

A second plunger shaft 52 a is shown in FIG. 8. The plunger shaft 52 a includes a tapered notch 62 allowing some larger particles of pellet/flake food 16 to be released into the aquarium water 12 while still grinding other particles of pellet/flake food 16. The tapered notch 62 has a depth Dth of preferably about half the diameter D4 of the plunger shaft 52 a. The floor 64 of the tapered notch 62 has a length L3, the tapers 66 have lengths L2, and the tapered notch 62 is recessed a length L1 from the end 52′ of the plunger shaft 52 a. The diameter D4 is preferably about 6 mm and the depth Dth is preferably about 3 mm. The length L1 is preferably about 5 mm. The lengths L2 and L3 are preferably about equal and the length L2 is more preferably about 5.2 mm, and the length L3 is more preferably about 5.6 mm. The tapers 66 are tapered at an angle A of about 30 degrees.

A method for feeding using the pellet and flake feeder 40 is described in FIG. 9. The method includes opening a feeder body at step 100, depositing pellet and flake fish food into the feeder at step 102, closing the feeder body at step 104, positioning the releasing end below the surface of aquarium water in the aquarium while keeping a grinding portion above the aquarium water surface at step 108, depressing a plunger at a plunger end of the feeder at step 110, advancing a notched plunger rod through the solid fish food and a narrowing orifice at step 112, grinding the solid fish food between the rod and the narrowing orifice at step 114, and releasing the ground fish food into the aquarium water to feed the fish at step 116.

A method for filling the pellet and flake feeder is described in FIG. 10. The method includes inserting a bottle brush into a fish food container at step 200, collecting an amount of the solid fish food onto bristles of the bottle brush at step 202, opening the feeder body at step 204, depositing solid fish food into the feeder at step 206, and closing the feeder body at step 208.

While the invention herein disclosed has been described by means of specific embodiments and applications thereof, numerous modifications and variations could be made thereto by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention set forth in the claims. 

I claim:
 1. A method for feeding fish using a pellet and flake feeder, comprising: opening a feeder body; depositing pellet and flake fish food into the feeder; closing the feeder body; inserting a releasing end of the feeder into an aquarium; positioning the releasing end below the surface of aquarium water in the aquarium; depressing a plunger at a plunger end of the feeder; advancing a notched plunger rod through the solid fish food and a narrowing orifice; grinding the solid fish food between the rod and the narrowing orifice; and releasing the ground fish food into the aquarium water to feed the fish.
 2. The method of claim 1, wherein depositing pellet and flake fish food into the feeder comprises: inserting a bottle brush into a fish food container; collecting an amount of the solid fish food onto bristles of the bottle brush; opening the feeder body, depositing solid fish food into the feeder; and closing the feeder body.
 3. The method of claim 1, wherein depositing pellet and flake fish food into the feeder comprises: inserting an angled tip of the lower portion into a container; collecting a portion of the pellet/flake food in the tip; and depositing the portion of the pellet/flake food into a cavity of the upper portion.
 4. The method of claim 1, wherein inserting a releasing end of the feeder into an aquarium comprises inserting an angled tip of the lower portion of the assembled feeder end of the pellet and flake feeder into an aquarium while retaining the upper portion above an aquarium water surface.
 5. The method of claim 1, wherein inserting a releasing end of the feeder into an aquarium comprises inserting an angled tip of the lower portion of the assembled feeder end of the pellet and flake feeder into an aquarium while retaining a grinding portion of the feeder above an aquarium water surface.
 6. The method of claim 1, wherein depressing a plunger comprises advancing a recess in a plunger shaft through a tapered passage to grind the pellet and flake fish food.
 7. The method of claim 6, wherein depressing a plunger comprises advancing at least one annular recess in the plunger shaft through a conically tapered passage to grind the pellet and flake fish food.
 8. The method of claim 7, wherein depressing a plunger comprises advancing a plurality of the annular recesses in a plunger shaft through the conically tapered passage to grind the pellet and flake fish food.
 9. The method of claim 6, wherein depressing a plunger comprises advancing a tapered recess in the plunger shaft through the tapered passage to grind the pellet and flake fish food.
 10. The method of claim 9, wherein the tapered recess has a depth Dth of about half the diameter D4 of the plunger shaft.
 11. The method of claim 9, wherein the tapered recess has a depth Dth of about half the diameter D4 of the plunger shaft.
 12. The method of claim 9, wherein tapered portions and a flat floor of the tapered recess have about the same length.
 13. The method of claim 12, wherein tapered portions are tapered at about 30 degrees.
 14. The method of claim 9, wherein tapered portions of the tapered recess have a length of about 5.2 mm and the floor of the tapered recess has a length of about 5.6 mm.
 15. A method for feeding fish using a pellet and flake feeder, comprising: separating an upper portion and a lower portion of the pellet and flake feeder; depositing pellet and flake fish food into a cavity in the upper portion of the pellet and flake feeder; assembling the upper portion and the lower portion of the pellet and flake feeder; inserting an angled tip of the lower portion of the assembled feeder end of the pellet and flake feeder into an aquarium while retaining the upper portion above an aquarium water surface; positioning the angled tip of the lower portion below the surface of aquarium water in the aquarium; depressing a plunger at a plunger end of the angled tip of the pellet and flake feeder including advancing a plurality of annular recesses in a plunger shaft through a conically tapered passage to grind the pellet and flake fish food; advancing a notched plunger rod through the pellet and flake fish food and a narrowing orifice; grinding the pellet and flake fish food between the notched plunger rod and the narrowing orifice; and releasing the ground fish food into the aquarium water to feed the fish.
 16. A method for feeding fish using a pellet and flake feeder, comprising: separating an upper portion and a lower portion of the pellet and flake feeder; depositing pellet and flake fish food into a cavity in the upper portion of the pellet and flake feeder; assembling the upper portion and the lower portion of the pellet and flake feeder; observing the pellet and flake fish food residing in the cavity through a window in the upper portion; inserting an angled tip of the lower portion of the assembled feeder end of the pellet and flake feeder into an aquarium while retaining a grinding portion of the pellet and flake feeder above the aquarium water level; positioning the angled tip of the lower portion below the surface of aquarium water in the aquarium; depressing a plunger at a plunger end of the angled tip of the pellet and flake feeder; advancing a plunger rod through the pellet and flake fish food and through a narrowing orifice, including advancing a tapered recess in a 6 mm diameter plunger shaft through the narrowing orifice to grind the pellet and flake fish food, the tapered recess comprising: an untapered floor having a length L3 of 5.6 mm and a depth Dth of 3 mm; tapered portions before and after the floor, the tapered portions having a length L2 of 5.2 mm and a taper angle A of 30 degree; grinding the pellet and flake fish food between the notched plunger rod and the narrowing orifice of a conical passage of the grinding portion of the pellet and flake feeder; and releasing the ground fish food into the aquarium water to feed the fish. 